woodyloveslinkin
aka Gloomy Mushroom
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2004
- Location
- Lithgow Australia
Okay I was having an argument with a friend about the ownership of my two rats, (which one sadly died the other day but we got another one yesterday..so RIP Dixie and hello Trixie!) about rats. My friend hates rats and we got into a debate. She said that -
> Rats are smell
>> Rats are not smelly, but the male ones do get a bit smelly but I own two females and they do not stink at all. Their cage does not smell at all and we clean it out twice a week, replace the water daily. Mice are actually smellier.
> Rats are unintelligent
>> False. The eldest rat we have - 6 weeks old Pixie, she is starting to respond to her name when we call her. Rats are really sociable and have been proven to live up to 4 years. The youngest one, Trixie, which we got yesteday can already tell her owners apart. Their smell and hearing are better than a human's. But their eyesight...not so good.
> Rats breed at a fast rate.
>> Then don't place a male and female rat together unless you want to purposely breed them. Simple. That's why we haven't gotten a male and we don't plan to get one until we are sure we want to breed Pixie and Trixie and sell off their babies.
> They bite.
>> Depends how old you get them. Of course they are going to nibble and bite at you from time to time, (especially when you have food in your hands) but get them at a young age and they are more tamer. The older you get the rat the less tamer it's going to be. It's their natural instinct to bite and chew at things (they've been known to bite through lead pipes in some countries) because their teeth are consistently growing. Rat proof your house as well. Common sense, duh.
> They carry disease.
>> Not the domesticated rats which have been proven to be as healthier and more tamer than wild rats that have been tamed. The only problems that rats face are - cancer, tumours, mites and what's called Bumblefoot.
> They **** everywhere.
>> And what cats and dogs don't? They're an animal of course they are going to **** everywhere.
> Rats are too high maintenance.
>> No they are not. Just buy the basics for a rat, you don't have to shower them with toys and a three course dinner. Their food is quite cheap, and you can buy a makeshift cage like I have - a large box from the Reject Shop for $10, buy a water bottle, a wheel, find a small cardboard box (they usually come in this) for their nest, some sawdust, food and strips of newspaper for them to build their nest.
So do you like rats?
> Rats are smell
>> Rats are not smelly, but the male ones do get a bit smelly but I own two females and they do not stink at all. Their cage does not smell at all and we clean it out twice a week, replace the water daily. Mice are actually smellier.
> Rats are unintelligent
>> False. The eldest rat we have - 6 weeks old Pixie, she is starting to respond to her name when we call her. Rats are really sociable and have been proven to live up to 4 years. The youngest one, Trixie, which we got yesteday can already tell her owners apart. Their smell and hearing are better than a human's. But their eyesight...not so good.
> Rats breed at a fast rate.
>> Then don't place a male and female rat together unless you want to purposely breed them. Simple. That's why we haven't gotten a male and we don't plan to get one until we are sure we want to breed Pixie and Trixie and sell off their babies.
> They bite.
>> Depends how old you get them. Of course they are going to nibble and bite at you from time to time, (especially when you have food in your hands) but get them at a young age and they are more tamer. The older you get the rat the less tamer it's going to be. It's their natural instinct to bite and chew at things (they've been known to bite through lead pipes in some countries) because their teeth are consistently growing. Rat proof your house as well. Common sense, duh.
> They carry disease.
>> Not the domesticated rats which have been proven to be as healthier and more tamer than wild rats that have been tamed. The only problems that rats face are - cancer, tumours, mites and what's called Bumblefoot.
> They **** everywhere.
>> And what cats and dogs don't? They're an animal of course they are going to **** everywhere.
> Rats are too high maintenance.
>> No they are not. Just buy the basics for a rat, you don't have to shower them with toys and a three course dinner. Their food is quite cheap, and you can buy a makeshift cage like I have - a large box from the Reject Shop for $10, buy a water bottle, a wheel, find a small cardboard box (they usually come in this) for their nest, some sawdust, food and strips of newspaper for them to build their nest.
So do you like rats?
